(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to video surveillance systems and, more particularly, to a viewing system for providing real time images or video taken in the vicinity of the end of a train to a display in a forward locomotive or remote location, and for recording the images and video for later use.
(2) Description of Prior Art
Railroad locomotives are often equipped with cameras that record views from the locomotive for use in accident investigations, training, or other purposes.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 7,965,312 to Chung et al. issued Jun. 21, 2011 shows a wireless video recorder and recording system for generating landmark-correlated images taken from a railroad locomotive.
Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 6,088,635 to Cox et al. issued Jul. 11, 2000 shows a railroad vehicle accident video recorder mounted on a locomotive.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,978,718 to Kull issued Nov. 2, 1999 shows a rail vision system that looks for upcoming wayside signal devices and automatically operates the brakes of the train.
These devices fulfill their respective requirements and objectives, however the patents do not disclose any means to provide real time vision-based information at the rear end of a train to an operator in a locomotive.
Locomotive operators are generally located far from the end of the train and cannot visually observe surroundings near the train end. Nevertheless, many situations require accurately knowing conditions at the train end, such as the movement of the train end or the presence of a tripped signal, or the location of the train end relative to switches, crossings, etc. Heretofore, a locomotive operator could only monitor observed circumstances at the train end by voice radio contact or hand signals from a second observer located at the end of the train.
Operators could also estimate the position of the end of the train by subtracting the known train length from locomotive odometer readings or GPS coordinates of the locomotive (on those locomotives equipped with odometers or GPS devices). However, these devices can only estimate the train end position within several meters and substantial uncertainty of the end of train position still exists. Accuracy, certainty and ultimately safety can all be enhanced if only the operator could have available real time visual images or video of the end of train vicinity that eliminated uncertainty of the train end conditions or the train end location relative to switches, crossings, etc.
End-of-train devices are well-known, such as those shown in U.S. patent application 20100213321, U.S. Pat. No. 5,376,925 and U.S. Pat. No. 7,096,096. These devices transmit non-visual, instrumentation information such as acceleration, motion or GPS coordinates to a head-of-train device in the locomotive, where the transmitted information is displayed to the locomotive operator. Non-visual, instrumentation information can be useful. However such information requires interpretation and is not as comprehensive as motion, positional and other information conveyed by visual images or video. What is needed is an end-of-train video system suited for providing real-time video surveillance from the end-of-train to a display located in the locomotive or at a remote station.
Moreover, there is a need for recorded images or video from the end of train vicinity for accident and security investigations or other purposes. U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,965,312B2, 6,088,635 and 5,978,718 show locomotive video recording systems. The systems heretofore devised and utilized consist of familiar, expected and obvious configurations that are generally arranged for the purpose of recording events and circumstances in the vicinity of the locomotive, which is typically located at the front of a train. These devices fulfill their respective requirements and objectives, however the patents do not disclose any means to record vision-based information at the end of a train. What is needed is an end-of-train video system suited for providing recorded images and video surveillance from the end-of-train vicinity.